Knight in Shining Armor
by Lynn1999
Summary: Sho only wishes to gain glory and fame by becoming a knight of Shaldorn and Kyoko decided she would support Sho in any way she could. That is until one day, her heart was brutally ripped out and torn to bits by the very person she devoted it to. Kyoko vowed that she would get revenge, but how can a girl get revenge on a knight? WARNING: Gender Bender themes ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Hello there everyone! This is my second fanfic, and unlike the last one, I wanted to make this a progressive story.  
The setting is somewhat Victorian/Medieval/Renaissance all kinda mashed together and the kingdom and city names are all made up.  
In this story Kyoko gets her revenge *Spoiler Alert* by becoming a knight instead of joining show biz. The first few chapters are VERY close to the manga but I don't plan to keep it that way. I really only did that so I could get the whole revenge theme going.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat or the characters.

* * *

Kyoko raised her hand and gently knocked on Sho's bedroom door. "Sho, I have the tea you asked me to fetch for you."

"Well what are you waiting for? Bring it in already!" Sho lectured from inside the room.

Kyoko turned the handle and the door opened with a quiet groan. She scanned Sho's bedchamber. His chamber was much larger than Kyoko's. While she had only the essential items, Sho liked to live a much more luxurious lifestyle. His curtains were purple silk, the dressers dark ebony, and the rug on the floor was actually the pelt of a snowy white bear. And in the middle of the room, atop a king sized bed, sat Sho. His blonde hair gorgeously reflected the morning light; he looked like a prince. Kyoko felt a sudden blush creep up on her cheeks when she realized Sho wasn't wearing a shirt.

It wasn't until a few moments later that she finally registered the irritated scowl Sho was giving her. "Why are you just standing there?" he barked. "I'm thirsty!"

Kyoko gingerly stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. She held out the cup of tea for Sho and he greedily snatched it from her, practically downing it in one gulp before handing it back.

"Sho, are you training today?" Kyoko asked, taking the cup from him.

"Of course I am! If I don't train every day how can I ever hope to beat _that_ guy?" Kyoko knew exactly who "that guy" was. He was Ren Tsuruga, the most talented and respected knight in all of Shaldorn.

"What time will you be home?" Her large golden eyes were filled with hope; hope that Sho would say he was coming home early for once.

"What the hell does it matter?" Sho got up from the bed and moved towards the dresser, taking out his training uniform.

"S-so I can have a meal ready for you when you get back, of course! And a bath too, if you want." She reached for Sho's arm but he immediately jerked it away, ignoring the obvious hurt in her eyes.

"I don't need it," He grumbled as he started tugging down his pants.

Kyoko took this as her cue and quickly exited the room. Once outside, she let out an exasperated sigh. Sho was never in a good mood lately, but she could understand. Training was extremely stressful and took its toll on him. Sho had always known he was destined for greatness. He had no desire to run a little inn like his parents wanted, his dream was to become a knight at Euthoria Palace. He would climb the ranks and become a powerful and respected knight that outshined even Tsuruga Ren. The best part was that Sho had asked Kyoko to accompany him, and together they ran away to Ayelia, the capital of Shaldorn.

Kyoko had always been fond of fairy tales; stories about princes and princesses. Her favorites were about the unloved girl wearing tattered rags who eventually transforms into a beautiful princess and is admired by everyone. Of course, she knew she would never marry a prince. But what if she could literally have her knight in shining armor? _That_ would be something.

A smile tugged at her lips when she thought of how hard Sho was working to achieve his dream. And even though Sho was irritable and somewhat bitter towards her now, he still needed her. Besides, once he reached the top everything would be alright again because Sho wouldn't be nearly as stressed out. They would finally be able to enjoy their life together.

The thought lifted Kyoko's spirits and even caused her smile to widen. Yes, everything would be fine. As long as she helped Sho achieve his dream it would be okay. Kyoko cleared her mind of all negative thoughts before removing her apron and grabbing her coat from its hook. She slipped it on and headed out the door.

Outside, the spring breeze smelled mostly of mud, but there was a hint of freshness in the air as the flowers were finally beginning to bloom. People bustled by on foot or in wagons, likely carrying goods they planned on selling in the market that day. Kyoko didn't have anything of her own to sell, so instead she worked for Taisho and his wife. They owned a restaurant, and although it was tiny, the food was delicious and very popular with people around the area.

Okami-san spotted Kyoko and waved.

"Good morning, Kyoko-chan. You're early today," Okami-san stated with a warm smile on her face.

Kyoko returned the smile along with a slight bow before replying, "Yes, I wasn't busy at home so I thought I might be able to help you set up for the day."

Okami nodded and motioned to a stack of food crates next to Taisho. "Feel free to help with those," she said.

Kyoko smiled and turned towards Taisho. "Good morning, Taisho," she chirped.

Taisho merely grunted in response before turning away to unload more crates.

"Thank you! Please come again," Kyoko smiled at the customers before handing them their change.

After they left Kyoko strode over and began to clean the table they had just sat at. She had just started wiping it down when Okami appeared beside her.

"Kyoko, we're not very busy it seems. Perhaps you can take the rest of the day off," she suggested.

Kyoko nearly dropped the teacup she was holding. "What!?" she exclaimed. "I can't miss work."

The woman let out a small sigh and placed her hand on Kyoko's shoulder. "It's okay," she said. "We're not busy today; I'm sure I can handle it here with just Taisho. Besides, you haven't had a day off in nearly three weeks. Wouldn't you like a little time to relax?"

Kyoko pondered this for a moment and was about to protest before a thought came to mind. If she left now she could surprise Sho with his favorite treat! He had said that he didn't want anything when he got home, but surely he was just being considerate. After all, she worked hard to support the two of them and he probably didn't want to bother her.

"Thank you, Okami-san," she smiled before handing over her apron.

Okami-san didn't even have the chance to reply before Kyoko was out the door and racing through the market. _Such an energetic girl_ , she thought.

* * *

So what did you think? Feel free to leave a review, especially something with constructive criticism. Oh, and I'd really love some ideas if you have any. My goal here is to write something people can enjoy so don't hesitate to suggest something or point out any mistakes.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, hopefully after this it will deviate from the manga a little more...hopefully.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip beat or the characters.

* * *

In mere moments, Kyoko had found what she was looking for. She paid for the treat, Sho's favorite cinnamon bread roll, and hastily half-walked/half-jogged home with the treat in her basket.

She gleefully hummed to herself as she clicked open the front door, but her humming was abruptly cut off by the sound of voices.

"She says it all the time, 'You're my knight in shining armor, Sho.' Really, what a laugh!" Sho's voice boomed from the living room.

Kyoko heard a female voice speak up. "How can you say such a thing? You make her earn all your living expenses right? That's pretty cruel."

"But hey, that's me! Do you really think I could have come to Ayelia and lived by myself?" Sho mused.

"That's terrible. It sounds as if you brought her…as your maid." Kyoko gritted her teeth and her hand gripped the handle of her basket so tightly that her knuckles turned white. How dare this woman make such accusations? Sho didn't think of her like that! _He_ asked _her_ to come with him. She was important to him. Kyoko was ready to storm in and put this mystery woman in her place when Sho's response stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Well…since I was a kid, she was basically a maid to me. Why else would I have chosen her to come in the first place? And it's not like I forced her. I asked, 'Will you come with me?' as a question. She had the freedom to choose and she decided to come on her own. So of course she has to work to support me."

Had Sho really felt this way about her all this time? Even after she poured her heart and soul into everything she did for him?

Her fears were confirmed by what she heard next.

"Well, since you're making enough to support yourself now, why not set the girl free?" The woman questioned.

"Alright, I'll send her back to Yado. But only if you'll promise to take care of me in her stead, Shoko." His voice dropped low and suddenly sounded very…suggestive. Kyoko dared to peek around the corner to see him draping himself over a beautiful brunette.

The brunette, or "Shoko" as Sho had called her, lazily pushed him away before purring in an equally suggestive tone, "I do that already. You practically live at my place."

Sho leaned in closer, "That's because I like women like you, Shoko. I don't want some plain girl with no sex appeal. Honestly, she doesn't even wear make-up."

In that moment, something inside of Kyoko snapped. Before thinking twice, she sent the bread basket hurling across the room, straight at Sho's head. Unfortunately, he managed to dodge the basket by a good couple of inches. Damn.

Sho looked at her, the shock clear on his face. He swallowed once, "K-kyoko."

"So all this time, I was only _convenient_ for you to have around?" Kyoko should have been yelling. But she didn't sound angry in the slightest. In fact, she didn't sound like anything at all, her voice was completely flat and monotone. Dead.

Her body started to shake violently and Sho only sighed. "Don't cry," he grumbled. "It's annoying!"

But he soon realized that Kyoko wasn't crying. She was _laughing_. It was a cold, threatening kind of laughter, the kind that caused a chill to run down Sho's spine.

Another giggle escaped her lips. "You were my everything. Don't think you'll get away with this! I'll have my revenge!" Her voice had risen nearly to the point of shouting.

A smirk made its way to Sho's lips. "Oh yeah? And how do you plan to do that when you can't touch me? Each day I'm getting better, more powerful. And soon I'll be completely out of reach of an ordinary, plain girl like you. You're not a knight, you hold no power, there's nothing you can do to bring me down."

Kyoko knew this was true. In one last feeble attempt to hurt him, Kyoko picked up the bread roll at her feet and whipped it at Sho's head. This time, much to her satisfaction, the roll hit in square in the face.

However, she didn't bother to celebrate her small victory. Instead, she turned and bolted out the door, determined to put as much distance between herself and Sho as possible; as if it could stop the pain she felt stabbing at her chest or the tears welling up in her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

I know these chapters are pretty short but hey, that means faster updates. Am I right? Yes? No? Maybe?  
Okay, whatever, on with the story. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat or its characters. I just write fanfiction stories to fill the void in my heart while I wait for Nakamura-sensei to continue the real story.

* * *

Her throat and lungs burned despite the frigid spring air, but she didn't stop running. She pressed on and continued towards some unknown destination.

Eventually her legs grew weary and she was forced to slow to a walk.

Hours of walking passed, the had sun set and the moon was now high in the sky, but her mind still wasn't clear. She still didn't want to believe what had just happened was the truth. She didn't want to believe that it had only taken mere moments for her entire world to come crashing down around her.

She nearly stumbled but managed to catch hold of a tree in order to steady herself. As if almost falling had somehow brought her back to reality, she was finally ludic enough to really take in her surroundings.

Somehow, she had ended up in the middle of the woods, and upon inspection, she found that what had almost tripped her turned out to be nothing more than a tree root.

The sound of trickling water caught her attention and her head snapped to the source of the sound. Just ahead there was a small stream, no more than two feet across. Kyoko carefully made her way over to it, sure to avoid any more tree roots. For the first time she realized how thirsty she was. Hours of constant walking tend to do that to a person.

Kneeling down, Kyoko cupped some water in her hands and brought it to her lips. It was cool and refreshing and it felt so good. She drank more and when she was finally satisfied she scooped up a bit more of the icy water and splashed it on her face, relishing the goosebumps it gave her.

Kyoko caught sight of her reflection in the water and leaned over the riverbank to examine it. She really was very plain, at least in comparison to that Shoko woman. Unlike Shoko's flowy brown hair, Kyoko's was short, black, frizzy, and full of split ends. It clung to her face and neck due to the sheen of sweat that covered her body. Her figure was petite; she didn't have the full curves that men seemed to like so much. In fact, her body could almost be considered boyish.

But that's what happens when you spend your days working solely for another person and don't have the time to properly take care of yourself.

A tear slipped down her cheek and landed in the water, distorting her reflection. Then another. And another.

Before she knew it she had completely broken down and was sobbing like a little child.

 _Loving someone is the most wasteful thing you can do in this whole entire world._ Hadn't Sho just proven that to her? She loved Sho, she had given up everything for him and yet she received nothing in return. Once her usefulness was all used up she was cast aside like a dirty rag.

Her tears eventually slowed and finally dried up altogether. She could cry all she wanted. She could wish for things to be different. But that wouldn't change reality. No, reality was right in front of her and she would have to face it. It was time to formulate her revenge.

Kyoko paced back and forth by the stream. She continued to mumble to herself, trying to work out the kinks in her plan. She came to the conclusion that, as she was, she would never be able to get her revenge on Shotaro. If she really wanted to hurt him she would have to climb the ranks of knighthood and steal his glory and fame from right under his nose. But how could a _girl_ do such a thing? Girls weren't allowed to fight. Girls didn't go to war or learn how to spar with a sword. No, they hosted tea parties and wore frilly dresses.

It wasn't like Kyoko ever had the chance to be a real girl, not since they ran away at least. She made tea and entertained guests back at the inn, but after coming to Ayelia she was too busy working to support that good-for-nothing leech. Kyoko peered into the water once again to see her reflection. It had been ages since she acted like a stereotypical girl or made an effort to look like one.

So why start now?

Her lips twitched and she found herself smiling.

If Kyoko couldn't crush Sho as a girl then she would simply have to do it as a guy.

* * *

So what do you think of the twist? I told you it would deviate from the original story line. Let's just hope it stays that way. I know I want to keep a lot of the same themes and scenarios in this story but I also want it to be somewhat different.

I'm at a loss as far as what to do with the Love Me section. I know that's like a HUGE part of Skip Beat and I do know how I could fit it into this plot...I'm just not sure if I want to. Let me know what you guys think!


	4. Chapter 4

WHOOP! WHOOP! Looks like I'm finally back. I can't believe it took me over a year to update this story. I am so so so so **SO** sorry. I just got terrible writer's block and then I got a job and started working. Then school started again and I was working, going to school, and doing sports. And life just got in the way and oh my gosh I have been so busy.

I've been thinking about this story constantly though, and I want to give a big thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed.

But here go you, chapter 4 of Knight in Shining Armor. I guess I was wrong when I said shorter chapters meant faster updates. Hopefully I'll have chapter 5 up a LOT sooner.

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat!

* * *

Kyoko eventually made her way back to the little cottage she _used_ to share with Sho. Despite hours of blindly running away, she hand't ended up very deep in the forest and was able to find her way out rather easily. However, it was still well past sunrise by the time she made it home.

She approached the front door and reached out to push it open, but she hesitated as soon as her palm made contact with the smooth wood.

What if Sho was still inside?

Kyoko craned her neck to scan the surrounding area. She didn't see any signs of anyone else being here, but what about inside? Should she peek through a window?

No, that was creepy. This was still _her_ home after all.

Kyoko sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, gathering the courage to go inside. The door groaned quietly as she pushed it open.

The inside of the house was exactly the same as when she had left. The basket of bread was still on the floor, its contents scattered about. Along with the roll that Kyoko had thrown at Sho's face. Kyoko couldn't help but giggle at the memory. She never in her life thought she would do something like _that!_ She was brought up to act like a lady after all. None of that mattered now though, as she would be doing just the opposite.

Ignoring the bread on the floor, Kyoko went through the living area and straight to the kitchen. She rummaged through a few of the drawers before finding what she was looking for.

In her hand she held a thick bladed pair of scissors; light came through the window and glinted off the blades.

Kyoko paused for a moment to question her actions. _Should I really be doing this_? She thought. _I could just go home, back to the inn_. After all, surely a better life would be waiting for her there. A more comfortable one where she didn't have to work so hard or worry so much.

But just then she turned the scissors in her hand , and this time she caught her own reflection in the blades. She gritted her teeth and brought the scissors up, immediately snipping away at her hair. She worked quickly, letting the little black tendrils fall to the floor at her feet, but being careful not to cut herself at the same time.

The haircut she gave herself was short and choppy, but it would have to do for now. With that out of the way she went to her bedroom in search of clothes. She quickly realized however, that her assortment of skirts and blouses wouldn't pass for male clothing. She could try Sho's room. His clothes would certainly be too large, but at least they would fit her purpose better than skirts. Kyoko wrinkled her nose at the thought. But none the less, she soon found herself poking through his drawers and foraging whatever she could find.

Most of Sho's room had been emptied of personal belongings, probably while Kyoko was busy crying and plotting in the forest, but she did manage to find a few shirts and a pair of trousers. Kyoko and Sho had been in Ayelia for a while now, and of course a teenage boy would keep growing in that time. So lucky for Kyoko, Sho left behind what must have been too small for him now. All Kyoko needed to do was modify the clothes slightly to fit her small frame.

Tugging the shirt over her head, Kyoko paused when she felt tears welling in her eyes. The shirt still smelled like him. Every time she breathed his scent filled her nose and made her think of him.

Kyoko tugged the shirt all the way down and hurriedly wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall. She couldn't let herself break down again. Men didn't cry, and that's what she was now. She had to start acting like one.

Kyoko reached for the trousers at her feet and pulled them on before fastening them with a makeshift belt. Then she rolled up the bottoms to avoid tripping on them.

She lifted her face to the mirror and gave herself a once over. Her hair was short, black, and choppy. The clothes were baggy and the sleeves of her shirt were too long, but at least everything stayed on. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief when her eyes landed on her chest. Her face turned as red as a tomato with embarrassment. How could she have forgotten such a thing?! Kyoko was by no means curvy, but she still needed a way to hide the buds on her chest.

Scrambling back to her room, Kyoko dug one of her skirts out from her dresser and immediately began shredding it. She then stripped off her top and wrapped the bits of cloth around her chest and middle, tying it and giving a good pull to make sure it stayed in place.

Finally. She was ready.

* * *

I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter to be honest. It was definitely a filler more than anything. But fillers are sometimes necessary to get the story to the next big point.

Also, as you may have guessed, Kyoko won't have light brown/reddish hair in this story. I just don't see how I'd be able to fit that in. It is short though, so that's something. And I won't be tying in the Love Me section. I feel like I would just follow the manga too closely if I did that. I'll still definitely include Moko though!

One last thing. I haven't been very good about replying to comments or reviews but I'm going to start doing that now that I'm on board with the story again.  
THANK YOU to everyone who did review. I appreciate the feedback and suggestions.


	5. Chapter 5

Yay! It didn't take me a whole year to update this time! Let's keep it that way, shall we?

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of my readers and those who have reviewed. I know most of you probably lost interest because I was gone for a long time, but I hope you come back!

Also, this is an update on Sho and Kyoko is not in it. You don't _have_ to read it but it might help a little. I love writing scenes with Sho in them. It comes so easily and he is such an ass that it's amusing...haha well on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat

* * *

"Sho," came a soft voice from inside the horse drawn carriage. "Do you really think it was alright to just pack up and leave like that?"

Sho looked to his left to see Shoko sitting beside him, her grey eyes conveying concern. They were both sitting in a carriage on their way to the other side of the city. After Kyoko had fled the house the night before, Shoko and Sho packed up the remainder of his belongings, minus what he didn't need anymore, and stuffed them into the carriage. With Kyoko out of the way, Shotaro decided it was finally time to leave that piece-of-shit cottage and take a step up.

"What do you mean, 'was it alright'?" he asked her with more than a hint of irritation in his voice.

"I just think it was wrong to pack your belongings and abandon that house on such short notice. You didn't even tell the poor girl you were leaving. She is probably at a loss of what to do now that she's alone."

"She'll be fine," Sho grumbled. "She'll just sell the house and go back to Yado. Ever since we were kids she has always done as I told her. I don't believe all that revenge bullshit."

"Things could be different now. You completely abandoned her. I'm not sure you understand the power a broken heart can wield, Sho."

With a wave of his hand, Sho dismissed Shoko's words and allowed his mind to wander for the remainder of the trip.

Sho awoke a short while later when the carriage jolted to a rough stop. He had apparently dozed off at some point.

"Ah, we must have arrived," murmured Shoko.

As if on cue, the driver of the carriage stepped down from his seat up top and opened the door for Shoko. Not bothering to wait for him, Sho opened his own door and headed for the luggage compartment underneath.

"l'll carry this stuff inside," he yawned. "You pay the driver."

Sho's new house was a little more extravagant than the one he shared with Kyoko. It was by no means the mansion he dreamed of owning someday, but it was better than a two room cottage. This house was two stories high with large windows, a porch off the front, four bedrooms, and a cellar in the basement. The house was also located in one of the upscale sectors of Ayelia and was remarkably close to the palace grounds. This would be convenient for Sho when he reached a high enough rank to work in the palace on a regular basis.

Sho carried is luggage inside and discarded it on the floor near the entrance. Shoko followed him in a few moments later and shut the door behind her.

"This really is a nice place, Sho," she began, kneeling down to unpack." I'm glad you won't be crashing at mine so much anymore."

Sho turned to her and raised an eyebrow when he noticed the stunning view down the front of her blouse. "Aww don't say that. You like having me around, don't you?" he teased.

"Sure I do. But it's not proper for you to be spending so much time at my place. We're not even dating, let alone married!"

"Who cares about what's proper," he scoffed. "People fool around all the time."

"I know that, but we should still be careful. You have a reputation to protect now."

Sho wasn't listening to a word she said. He was too busy licking his lips as he watched Shoko bend over a little further to start unpacking another bag. "Hey," he said. "Those bags can wait until later. I can think of a much better reason for you to be on your knees."

Her head snapped up. "Sho!" she gasped, her cheeks turning pink. "I can't believe you!"

"Sure you can. Let's go upstairs," he said suggestively while grabbing her wrist and pulling her up the staircase. They went into a bedroom on the second floor where he shut the door behind them and immediately tore into her blouse.

* * *

So I know this one was pretty short (they've all been short but this one was even shorter than usual) but that's because there's not a whole lot happening yet. I need to think of a way to kick off the drama and get things moving. It's slowly coming to me.

Also, the term "knight" is very, very loose in this story. I'm probably going to make them kind of like police, soldiers, and knights all mixed together depending on their rank and assigned duties.

And lastly, as you may have guessed, I made the relationship between Sho and Shoko a lot less formal. Let's also pretend this is a slightly younger version of Shoko so I don't feel like such a pervert.


End file.
